This is a rare-one from our old friend John Grady….Captured here on the rich clay of New York’s famed Fonda Speedway with the Bob Judkins #2x during a break from his USAC Indy Car endeavors is the late, great Jim Hurtubise. A ten-time starter of the Indy 500, “Herk” was a truly-versatile racer, successfully competing in a myriad of different divisions during his long, storied career. Regarded as a true underdog when he was racing at the nation’s highest-rung of competition, he was a crowd-favorite, especially when behind the controls of his front-engine Mallard Roadsters. It was a time when the rest of the Indy-set had long-abandoned the design in-favor of the more technically advanced rear-engine cars. Sadly, Jim passed-away from a heart-attack in 1989 at age-56. (John Grady Photo).              

The late Pete Corey (aka “The Crescent Hillbilly”), was simply one of the best racers of his generation. When he lost his left leg in a horrible 1959 crash at Fonda, New York his resultant comeback elevated him from hero to legend. The fact that his car had to be equipped with a hand brake after he lost his leg seemed almost immaterial. Corey actually began his career as a motorcycle racer switching to stockcars in the late 1940s. He won sporadically in the early '50s and then landed a ride with famed Schenectady, New York car owner Bob Mott in 1955. It proved to be a career-move that made him the hottest driver in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Seen here at Fonda with a Ford Falcon-bodied mount, he retired from the sport in 1973. (John Grady Photo).

Captured here behind the controls of an absolutely-classic coach following a feature victory is our old friend, “Fast Finch Fenton” (known in mere-mortal terms as Lew Boyd). As the proprietor of Coastal 181 www.coastal181.com Lew brings to us the best in racing-related reading, video, and artwork. This guy has been-around the sport for a long-time and as-seen here saw success during his driving days in just about every division in New England, dirt & asphalt. (John Grady Photo).          

Seen here at Massachusetts’ much-missed Riverside Park Speedway is another former racer I’m proud to count as a friend, Ronnie Wyckoff. Starting his racing career in Florida, he joined the Sportsman ranks at Plainville Stadium after moving North in 1959. Success in the modifieds quickly-followed with numerous wins at an assortment of New England speedplants. Included in those victories are multi-time triumphs in UNITED’s “Riverside 500” events, once a benchmark of the Northeastern racing season. In this scribes opinion, historically-speaking this guy remains one of our region’s most-underrated competitors. (Steve Kennedy Photo).     

One of the real chargers when Harvey Tattersall’s once influential United Stock Car Racing Club ruled the New England modified roost rather than NASCAR, Tommy Sutcliffe enjoyed a long-reign at the front of the pack. Twice a champion at Connecticut’s late West Haven Speedway, he was a top competitor all over New England for decades winning a boatload of features. This one captures Tommy at the former Riverside Park in Massachusetts during the 1960s, then the flagship facility of UNITED. (John Grady Photo).

Here’s a wonderful shot of New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame member Billy Harman celebrating one of his early victories at the “New London-Waterford” Speedbowl as the driver of the potent “L&M” coupe. Sharing the spotlight with Billy is fabled early Speedbowl flagman Loren Card. Note the old “sand safety strip” along the outer- parameter of the track. Originally built-in as a safety feature (the theory being that it would “slow-down” errant competitors before impact), it remained until being paved-over in the mid-60s. (Shany Photo Courtesy of Tom Ormsby).    

That's it for this week. Email me at: foreveryounginct@gmail.com

 

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